Tool Test: 12v Li-Ion Compact Drills

Each of these eight pint-size tools is light, powerful, and affordable, but which is the best?

In this tool survey, Oregon contractor Paul Johnson puts 12v Li-ion compact drill/drivers through their paces to determine which of these eight pint-size tools is the best. After a battery of job-site and shop-based tests, Johnson rated the DeWalt DCD71052 as his top choice, praising its high-speed drilling capacity. For best value, Johnson chose the Porter-Cable PCL120DCC-2. Also tested were models from Ridgid, Milwaukee, Makita, Bosch, Ryobi, and Hitachi.